Santa Cruz Wedding

It’s no secret that I love living in (and featuring the weddings of) California. But one spot I’ve never visited and have always wanted to is Santa Cruz. It just seems like such a charming, idyllic beach town. Well, today’s wedding is doing nothing to quiet my wanderlust. A first look on train tracks, a beach ceremony, and a reception in a forest, all captured beautifully by Sun and Life Photography – what’s not to love?

Our favorite moment was our ceremony, which we wanted to reflect the intimate vibe of our wedding. We got married on the same riverbank that Alise’s parents did, and guests stood barefoot instead of sitting in rows of chairs. One of our closest friends played the guitar for us (he did an epic rendition of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes’ “Home”!) and Tom’s father officiated, which meant everyone got to hear plenty of funny stories about our relationship through the years. In the end, we were humbled by the way that so many people worked together to help us build the ceremony of our dreams.

Above all else, we wanted our wedding to feel laid back, intimate, and unique to us as a couple. Our goal was to keep the decor simple with a definite DIY feel, so we either handmade, thrifted, or repurposed most of our decorations. We tried to create a vintage romance feel, while also incorporating a few literary elements, like the stacks of old books on the tables and the bookshelf that held our “love story” favors.

Advice for couples planning now? Let go of the idea of a “perfect wedding” and instead set out to plan a wedding that reflects who you are as a couple. What made us the happiest was how authentic everything felt.

I am a huge bookworm, so my mom spent months helping me collect my favorite love stories, which we invited guests to take home with them. Tom’s mom makes beautiful succulent-filled teacups, so she used vintage china to make cups to display throughout the reception. And instead of a guest book, we bought postcards from our favorite spots in Santa Cruz and asked guests to choose one to write down their best piece of advice as we start our journey together.

How did you make your wedding YOU?

What made our wedding “us” was the people who helped us celebrate — our closest family and dear friends. We have been friends since middle school, so our small wedding felt like a party with those who have been in both of our lives since childhood. The people in our bridal party have watched our relationship blossom over the years, and it was so special for us to have them there alongside our family to see us make our commitment to one another.

Isn’t this wedding so sweet and romantic? From the setting to the vintage style, I’m in love with it all. Congrats to Alise & Tom!